434 research outputs found
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Explaining Maoist control and level of civil conflict in Nepal
Full text linkDoes poverty or inequality explain the Maoist insurgency in Nepal? In contrast to previous studies we limit the analysis to the hill/mountain districts of Nepal as very few terai (plains) districts are classified as Maoist. And we conduct separate analyses for Maoist control and level of conflict. We find that income poverty and land-inequality are main determinants of Maoist influence, while the less visible income inequality is not so important. We also demonstrate that previous findings by Murshed and Gates (2005), where landlessness appears to be important, are due to two outliers that are the core Maoist districts. Without the outliers landlessness is negatively, and not positively, correlated with Maoist influence
Regional variation in livelihood strategies in Malawi
Full text linkThis is a background paper on livelihood strategies in rural Malawi in general. Livelihood strategies are identified at the household level as a function of assets held, using survey data. Only endowments that are likely to be predetermined are included in the empirical analysis. As expected, land, household size, age and primary education turn out to be important determinants of livelihood strategies. It appears that the relatively equal land-distribution among small-holders in Malawi still allows some wealthier households, and force others, to do non-farm activities. This, in turn, may lead to small-scale development within villages. Furthermore, investment in primary education, taking into account the low initial level of education in Malawi, is probably a good investment for rural development. And, we find it promising that younger people are able to find non-farm livelihoods. It also turns out to be significant regional variation in livelihood strategies, with more diversification in the Southern region, and with regional variation in the role of ethnic and religious identity as determinants of livelihood strategies. It appears that lack of agricultural opportunities in the south imply that households do, maybe more low-status, salaried work and household businesses in this region. For some households this may still be a way out of poverty. The policy implications for the poorer Southern region are not obvious. But, to the extent feasible, the farmers may learn from the more productive farmers in the Central region, where there is more emphasize on cash-crop production
UN support for peacebuilding: Nepal as the exceptional case
Full text linkIn the annals of UN peace operations, the mission in Nepal (UNMIN) appears as an exceptional case. Most peace support operations today are multidimensional – covering the security sector, political transition, relief and economic recovery, statebuilding, and transitional justice – and target the underlying causes of conflict as well. Peacebuilding means ensuring that “exclusionary social, economic and political structures … [are not] left untouched, perpetuated or strengthened,” UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan declared when he inaugurated the UN Peacebuilding Commission in 2006. The language seemed tailor-made for Nepal, where the UN established a peace mission after the end of a ten-year civil war. Yet the UN operation to help consolidate peace in Nepal was a ‘focused mission of short duration’, a minimalist operation with a razor-thin mandate.
This paper explores why this was so, and what were the consequences for peacebuilding.
Was a limited UN mission appropriate to the challenges of peacebuilding, or was the mission unduly restricted? Did a high degree of Nepali ‘national ownership’ consolidate or complicate the peace process?
The paper was prepared for the project “Social Exclusion, Democratic Inclusion and the Insurgency in Nepal,” supported by The Social Inclusion Research Fund, which is funded by the Embassy of Norway, Nepal. Research for the paper was concluded in May 2009
Beyond the surge: Policy options for Afghanistan
Full text linkThe surge in the US presence in Afghanistan, announced by President Barack Obama soon after taking office, is unfolding rapidly. What does this ‘surge’ signify? Is it a commitment to achieve what Obama calls ‘the achievable objective’ in US strategy towards Afghanistan, namely to eliminate Al Qaeda’s base in the region and ensure that the organization will not be a source of terrorist threats to the West and its allies? Or is it the beginning of an exit strategy from a controversial war, aiming to gain a position of military strength from which to negotiate a favorable compromise? In a longer time perspective, is it a step to secure a strategic US presence in the region, or a prelude to strategic retrenchment? What are the implications for Afghans who are deeply concerned about the escalating violence in their country, disillusioned by the pace of reconstruction, and apprehensive about the future?
CMI and PRIO recently invited a small group of experts to a workshop and a public seminar in Oslo to assess current developments in light of these larger issues. The discussion centered on three main themes: the role of the US and the UN, the role and perceptions of Afghans, and the dynamics of a negotiated settlement. This is a report from the seminar
Research for improved health worker performance. International Workshop Bergen, Norway, May 2009
Full text linkInspired by a vision to build knowledge on how to implement high quality health care in low income contexts, Chr Michelsen Institute (CMI), Health Economics Bergen and the Centre for International Health (CIH) at the University of Bergen hosted an international workshop on Interventions for improved health worker performance on 14-15 May 2009.
This report summarises key messages from the workshop. It presents a call for research for improved health worker performance, an agenda for action for the research community, as well as a research agenda
Rukwa Ruka. The attempt of a foreign donor to uplift a neglected region: A study of the impact of Norwegian aid to Rukwa Region, Tanzania
Full text linkFrom 1978 to 1996 a close link existed between one of Tanzania’s least developed regions and Norway. Norway provided aid to the tune of 400 million kroner, or about 70 million dollar, with the broad goal of improving the material wellbeing of the people. By reviewing the development situation of the region today, more than 10 years after the decision by Norad to terminate the Rukwa Integrated Rural Development Programme (RUDEP) this study looks at the impact of this aid. Rukwa still ranks among the poorest regions in Tanzania. Yet, there is evidence of enhanced living standard during RUDEP in areas where transport improved and villages were provided clean water and primary health care services. This is also an account of development ideas no longer in vogue – “integrated” and “participatory” rural development – and the encounter with the realities at the time of a country in economic crisis undergoing frequent policy shifts. What worked, what didn’t and what lessons for future aid
Monitoring and evaluating Mozambique's poverty reduction strategy PARPA 2006-2008. A synopsis of three qualitative studies on rural and urban poverty
Full text linkThe first three in a series of six qualitative and participatory studies on poverty and well-being in Mozambique have revealed that there are positive developments in terms of the macro-economic context and in the social sectors of education and health. However, the continued dearth of employment and income in rural as well as urban areas makes it difficult to transform these advances into real poverty reduction. There are also worrying signs of local processes of social marginalisation and exclusion, following from the increasing commodification of social relationships. To achieve the goals of the PARPA, particular efforts will have to be made by the government and donors to reach the very poorest
Accounting for poverty reduction in Norwegian development aid to Mozambique
Full text linkPoverty reduction is the overarching goal of Norwegian development assistance, as expressed in the “Government Plan of Action for Combating Poverty in the South Towards 2015” and other related documents. At the same time, it is acknowledged that we currently know too little about the impact of development aid and that Norway must make greater demands on both itself and its partners to document results. This report feeds into the process of improving the documentation of the results of Norwegian development aid by taking a critical look at the system of the monitoring and evaluation of Norwegian development aid to Mozambique – with a particular focus on poverty reduction. Central topics are the implications of the overarching objective of poverty reduction on the level of concrete interventions; the most relevant types of data to verify the outcomes and impact on poverty; and the most adequate system for forwarding information to the relevant stakeholders
Bureaucratic Complexity and Impacts of Corruption in Utilities
Full text linkThis paper explores how the relationship between bureaucratic complexity and corruption affects the performance in utilities. We observe considerable variation in the performance of the utilities across countries, also across countries which appear to be relatively similar in terms of GDP per capita. Our hypothesis is that corruption is an important explanatory factor. In particular, corruption coupled with a complex regulatory structure can have negative effects on performance in this sector. The analysis points at the importance of considering the institutional framework and quality when introducing new bureaucratic procedures, as the same set of policy advice can work differently across countries. We measure bureaucratic complexity by the number of procedures needed for starting a business from the Doing Business Database provided by the World Bank
Collaboration on Anti-Corruption Norway and Brazil
Full text linkInternational conventions against corruption, signed and ratified by a growing number of countries, are an important tool in combating corruption. Greater collaboration across countries is now needed in order to draw real benefits from legal reforms. This report, commissioned by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is a step in that direction as it examines the potential for collaboration on anti-corruption issues between two countries. The focus is on corruption in the business environment and the situations reported concern trade between Norway and Brazil, with a focus on Norwegian presence in Brazil. Recommendations for collaboration are developed on the basis of the current status of the international fight against corruption, a discussion of the efficiency of different anti-corruption initiatives, and a survey of the perspectives of some Norwegian and Brazilian firms. The areas of customs regulation and procedures, public procurement, legal cooperation, and academic collaboration are found to be particularly relevant for transnational anticorruption collaboration. The main ambition of the report has been to stimulate further initiatives and dialogue between Norway and Brazil, as well as cross-border anti-corruption efforts in general